Clinical Strokestown break Éire Óg hearts once more
Diarmuid McGann and Shane McGinley are celebrating a county intermediate football championship title with Strokestown following their victory against Éire Óg in Kiltoom on Sunday afternoon. Picture: Gerard O'Loughlin
Strokestown’s sabbatical at intermediate level has lasted two years after second-half goals from Keith Murphy and Evan Moran propelled Pearse McGinley's side to championship success at Kiltoom on Sunday afternoon.
It was another case of what might have been for Éire Óg as a hatful of missed chances proved costly, despite the efforts of the outstanding Enda Crawley and Jamesie Greene who dominated the middle third.
The opening half was a cagey affair, but a run of five unanswered points from Stephen Tighe — a superb two-pointer — Colin Compton, Shane McGinley and Keith Murphy handed the winners an 0-8 to 0-3 interval lead at the break.
Éire Óg came out with all guns blazing in the second half, and had the deficit eroded to a point within four minutes, thanks to scores from Conor Cox (a free and a point from play), and a two-pointer from first-half substitute Brian Greene.
But Keith Murphy’s well-taken 39th minute goal was a decisive turning point, and although Crawley and Greene won the midfield battle, Éire Óg just couldn’t turn possession into the scores they needed.
A couple of excellent scores from Compton kept Strokestown in the ascendancy on the scoreboard at least, and when substitute Evan Moran cracked home a brilliant goal in the 60th minute, the Jamesie Murray Cup was heading for East Roscommon.
Strokestown scorers: Keith Murphy (1-3, one 0-2), Evan Moran (1-0), Colin Compton (0-3), Stephen Tighe (0-2, one 0-2), Diarmuid McGann (0-2, one free), Kevin Finn (0-1, one free), Shane McGinley (0-1), Niall Curley (0-1, one ’45).
Éire Óg scorers: Conor Cox (0-11, one 0-2, two 0-2 frees, four frees), Brian Greene (0-2, one 0-2), Thomas Greene (0-1), Enda Crawley (0-1).
